Every foreign visitor travelling to Kenya will now be required to have health insurance worth at least $50,000 (about Sh6.4million) before being allowed into the country under new regulations aimed at protecting both travellers and the country’s healthcare system.
The requirement is contained in the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024, published in a Gazette Notice dated July 29, 2026, by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.
The regulations are issued under Section 26(6) of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, read together with Regulation 70(2)(b) of the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024.
The new rules represent one of the most significant changes to Kenya’s travel and health policy in recent years, bringing the country in line with a growing number of destinations that require inbound travellers to have medical insurance before entry.
The mandatory cover applies to all inbound travellers entering Kenya for temporary stays of up to 12 months.
This includes tourists, business travellers, international students, conference delegates, and people visiting friends and relatives.
Visitors intending to remain in Kenya for longer than one year will be subject to separate residency and Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) registration requirements.
According to the Gazette Notice, the policy is intended to ensure that international visitors have adequate access to healthcare during their stay while protecting Kenya’s public health system from the cost of treating uninsured foreigners.
Under the regulations, every mandatory inbound travel health insurance policy must provide a cumulative benefit limit of at least $50,000, with minimum benefits including medical expenses: up to $20,000 (about Sh2.5 million), emergency medical transportation: up to $25,000 (about Sh3.2 million), prescribed medicines: up to $300 (about Sh38,800), mental health treatment: up to $1,000 and repatriation of mortal remains: up to $5,000
The benefits are cumulative, meaning insurers must be able to cover all listed benefits up to the overall $50,000 limit rather than capping payouts after individual claims.
Only insurers licensed under Kenya’s Insurance Act will be permitted to sell the mandatory travel health insurance.
The Ministry of Health is expected to publish a list of approved providers once implementation arrangements are complete.
The move follows concerns raised by industry players over verification and operational capacity. Insurers have proposed a shared digital platform that would allow immigration officials, airlines and border agencies to verify insurance certificates in real time.
The government says the policy is designed to ensure visitors receive timely medical treatment while shielding Kenyan taxpayers from the costs associated with emergency care, medical evacuations and repatriation of uninsured non-citizens.
Both public and private hospitals have previously absorbed significant costs when foreign visitors required emergency treatment without adequate insurance.
With international arrivals continuing to recover—reaching 2.39 million visitors in 2024, up from 2.08 million in 2023—the government says the financial risk has increased.
The regulations form part of the broader implementation of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, which replaced the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) with SHIF for Kenyan residents.
The government is working with Immigration authorities and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to integrate insurance verification into the country’s entry process. Travellers are expected to purchase the mandatory cover before departure or upon arrival and present a digital insurance certificate. Airlines may also be required to verify proof of insurance during check-in, similar to the current electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) process.
A dedicated online portal for purchasing and verifying policies is also expected to be launched.
Kenya joins several countries that already require inbound travellers to carry health insurance, including many European states under the Schengen visa system. However, the country’s minimum coverage requirement of $50,000 is considerably higher than the flat-fee travel insurance schemes adopted elsewhere, reflecting the high costs of emergency medical evacuation and air ambulance services.
The regulations come as Kenya’s tourism sector continues to expand, with tourism earnings reaching Sh352.54 billion last year and average visitor stays increasing to 12.1 days. Industry stakeholders say the requirement is unlikely to discourage visitors provided insurance remains affordable and easy to obtain, with many expecting airlines and travel agencies to bundle the cover with flight bookings.
The Gazette Notice has already brought the regulations into force, although full implementation will depend on the approval of insurers, rollout of the verification portal and training of airline and border personnel. Government officials say the objective is to make travel to Kenya safer while safeguarding the country’s healthcare system.
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